Toy construction block



TOY CONSTRUCTION BLOCK f ,gnam/Ey;

TUY CONSTRUCTION BLOCK A TTORNEYJ Patented Jau. '10, 1933 UNITED STATES BEGDALD E. SANDERS, F NEENAH, WISCONSIN TOY CONSTRUCTION BLOCK Application med April 8,

This invention relates in general to improvements in toys and particularly to toy construction blocksr Heretofore, toy construction blocks having recesses and projections for interlocking engagement with one another have been .so constructed that the use ofthe blocks is quite limited. This has been caused by the fact that these prior blocks have been formed to 3 permit interconnection with one another only in particular ways. In order to maire a construction block adapted for unlimited use, it is necessary that all edges thereof have a continuous series of relatively small interlocking member so that any two blocks c an be interlocked at any edge and at any point in any edge, and so that they can be interlocked at an les with one another, if deslred. Heretofore, it has been impossible to form a m series of relatively small projections onall edges of wooden construction blocks, in view of the fact that projections extendin transversely to the grain, where the projections are small, have little resistance to breakage.

im Formation of a continuous series of mortises and tenons on all edges of a block also presents the problem of constructing the corners so that when two blocks are joined together in alinenient that there will be no possibility d@ of two tenons being juxtaposed to inder the connection of another block.

lt is a general object of the present invention to provide a series of simple, cheaply constructed, and easily interlocking blocks which may be combined with one another in an endless variety of ways to forni miniature structures, furniture, implements, buildings, vehicles, machines with moving parts and the like,

A further object of this invention is to pro vide wooden construction blocks which embody a series of interlockin projections along all edges thereof, the sai blocks being so constructed as to ermit this formation of @t projections on all si es and still prevent the usual possibility of breakage of certain of the projections.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide construction blocks of uniform thickness, varying in length and width ndenite 1981. Serial No. 588,470.

ratios and formed with a series of mortises and tenons on all edgesso that any edge of one block will inter ook snugly in parallel position orat right angles with any edge of any other block.

A further object of the invention is to rovide construction blocks having all e ges formed with mortises and tenons which extend continuously and uniformly around the block except at certain of the corners, and in which sai corners are soformed as to prevent two tenons from becomin juxtaposed when the two blocks are joined to one another.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide construction blocks in which the mortises and tenons on two edges at right angles with one another are staggered with relation to the mortises and tenons on the other two edges of the block to permit interlocking of one edge of one block with the opposite edge of another block in such a way that the edges of the two'blocks so interlocked are in perfect alignment.

A further object of the invention is to provide construction blocks which may have in addition to the edge inortises and tenons, rows of a ertures within the outline of the blocks which apertures are adapted to snugly receive edge tenons of another block to increase the adaptability of the blocks.

A still further object of the invention is to provide construction blocks formed of pl wood in which the grain of one layer exten s transversely to the grain of an adjacent layer so as to render the interlocking projections or tenons on any side resistant to breakage rWith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved toyconstruction blocks and all its parts and conibinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof. i

ln the accompanying drawings illustrating one complete embodiment of the pre` ferred form of the invention in which the same reference numerals designate the saine parts in all of the views:

Fig. l is a plan view of one type of rectangular block;

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof;

Fi 3 is a plan view of a block having its lengt equal to the length of the block shown in Fig. 1, and its width one-half of the width of the block of Fig. 1;

Fi 4 is a plan view of a block havin its widt equal to the width of the block in Fig. 1 and its length one-half of the length of said block.

5 is a plan view of a block having a width eqsal to the width of the block of F ig. 3 and a length one-half the length of said block, the area of the blocks shown 1n Fig. 5 being one-fourth of the area of the block of Fi 1 and one-half of the area of the block of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged edge view of one of the blocks, part being shown in section.;

Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive are v1ews showing blocks interconnected with one another 1n a number` of different arrangements.

Figs. 13, 14, and 15 are plan views of dlfferent modified forms of blocks;

Fig. 16 is a front elevational view of a oup of blocks showing how the modified orm ma be assembled;

Fig. 1 is a side view of said group of blocks; and

Fig. 18 is a bottom view thereof.

It is preferred to form all of the blocks from wood inasmuch as said materlal possesses sufficient durability to withstand handling, and has sufficient rigidity to form substantial structures. It is also preferred to utilize plywood as illustrated in i* igs. 2 and 6, and in the drawings three layers are shown, top and bottom layers 15 and 16 which have the grain running in one direction, and an 1nterrnediate layer 17 having the gram running in a transverse direction. The three layers may be united by means of an adhesive or in any other suitable manner.

The blocks are arranged to be made in sets, each set comprising a sufficient number of blocks to make possible the building of rela-y tively complicated structures. The majority of the blocks in the set will be of rectangular shape as shown Figs. 1, 3, and 5, and said rectangular blocks vary in size, the larger blocks being exact multiples 1n area of smaller blocks. For example, the blocks shown in Fig. 1 have twice the area of the blocks of Figs. 3 and 4, and four times the area of the blocks of Fig. 5, and the blocks of Fi 3 and 4 have twice the area of the blocks of ig. 5. By having the blocks formed so that larger ones are exact multiples ofsmaller ones, they are much more adaptable and can be used to form an endless variety of either.

open or closed structures.

An important feature of the invention resides in the fact that each block is formed with a continuous series of alternating mortises 18 and tenons 19 along all edges, said mortises and tenons being relatively small in size. As shown in Fig 2, the thickness of the blocks is substantially equal to the width and depth of the mortises. Furthermore, each of the mortises and tenons is substantially square. With this arrangement, two blocks may be interconnected in planes at right angles to one another, and the ends of the tenons of one block will be Bush with the surface of the other block to make a flush corner construction. Furthermore, by reserving the ratio between the thickness o the blocks and the size of the mortises, the blocks may be interconnected edgewise at right angle to one another as shown in Fig. 11. Due to the uniformity in size of all of the mortises and tenons, there lwill be a snug engagement of one block with another, and this engagemen-tJ will be possible at any point, making the blocks very adaptable.

It is further to be noted that the mortises and tenons extend continuously and uniformly around the blocks except at certain of the corners which are formed in a novel manner to prevent two tenons from being juxtaposed when two blocks are joined to one another with edges in alinement. This corner arrangement, which also aids in obtaining staggering of the tenons on one edge with relation to the tenons on an opposite edge, will be hereinafter described in detail.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the possibility of forming an enclosed or box-like structure as shown in Fig. 9. This brought about by the peculiar arrangement of the mortises and tenons along one edge of a block with relation to the mortises and tenons along the opposite edge. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the tenons along the upper edge of the block are uniformly staggered with relation to the tenons on the lower edge, and that the tenons on the right hand edge of the block of Fig. l are similarly staggered with relation to the tenons on the left hand edge. This arrangement is brought about by having a single vacant space 20 equal to the size of a single tenon at one corner of the block, by having an angular space 21 at the diagonally opposite corner of the block which is equal to.

the size of three tenons, by having a double space 22 of rectangular form equal to the size of two tenons omitted from another corner, and by having another rectangular space 23 equal to the size of two tenons on the remaining corner of the block, said rectanguiar space 23 extending at right angles to the space 22. The block illustrated in Fig. 4 is provided with a similar arrangement of mortises and tenons to the block of Fig. 1.

It is also necessary, in some of the smaller blocks, to have the corner recesses 21 and 22 reversed in position as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 in order to have the tenons on the end edges work out correctly. With this staggered arrangement, one long edge of the block shown in Fig. 1 may be interlocked with the the same thickness, each block having all edges cut to form a series of uniform, substantially cubical mortises and tenons of equal size on each edge, the mortises and s tenons on one edge being oset from the mortises and tenons on the op osite edge to render each corner of the bloc different vin shape, and the mortises and tenons on the several edges being so arranged with respect to one another that a plurality of the blocks may be 'oined together b means of the mortises and tenons to form c osed box-like structures with flush edges with but one arrangement of mortises and tenons on al1 blocks of the same size.

In testimon whereof, I aix my signature.

R GINALD E. SAl/NDERS. 

